Telephone service-meter.



PATENTED DEC. 13, 1904.`

P. R. MGBERTY.

TELEPHNE SERVICE METER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.16. 1900.

N0 MODEL.

STATES Patented December 13, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE..

FRANK R. MCBERTY, OF EVANSION, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO IHE VES'IERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

I LLINOI S.

A OORIORATION OF TELEPHONE SERVICE-IVIETEF..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,217, dated December 13, 1904.

Application led April 16, 1900. Serial No. 13,010. (No model.)

T0 (LZZ 107mm/ iff/5 71mg/ concer/t:

Be it known that I, FRANK R. lVIcBnn'rY, a citizen of the United States, residingat .Evanston, in the county of (look and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and usei'ul Improvement i n Telephone Service-Meters, of

. which the following is a full, clear, concise,

and exact description.

This invention concerns service-meters lor automatically counting or recording calls which result in completed connections between lines and are answered at the called station. In Reissue'Patent No. 12,185, granted December 22, 1903, I have described and claimed a type of service-meter in which the servicemeter permanently associated with the callingline is actuated by a current determined in taking the telephone for use at the called station. The presentinvention concerns the further development of the same type cil service-meter, beine" specially addressed to its use in conjunction with a relay-switchboard.

The principal vfeature of this invention has for its object to insure the registration oi each call by making the action oi the service-meter jointly dependent upon the presence oiE the calling-plug' in a spring-jack of the called line and on the position of the telephone-switch at the called station.

To this end this feature consists in a service-meter associated with the calling-line ina local circuit of the line, a relay in the path of current to thecalled station, and a self-loching relay forming part ol'l a local circuit which must be closed at two points---nan1ely, between the registering-sleeve and contact-piece oi' the calling-plugl and a spring-jack oi' the called line and between switch-contacts oi' the before-mentioned relayethis self-lockingl relay beingl constructed to close the local circuit of the service-meter when it is excited by the taking,1 of the telephone 'for use.

Minor features of the invention look to the association of these appliances with supervisory signals and controlling-relays usual in a relay-switchboard.

The invention is shown diagrammatically in the attached drawing, which represents two substations furnished with telephone instruments connected by line-wires with springjacks and signaling apparatus in a telephoneswitchboard, a service-meter for each line, plugs and a plug-circuit 'for uniting' the lines in the switchboard, and the necessary localcircuit connections for e fi'ectinn the operation of the service-meter in accordance with this invention.

The apparatus at the substations is ot the type characteristic o1c the relay-switchboard. lhe circuit at the substation is normally open with respect to currents from a constant source, but is closed by the action ot' the telephone-switch when the receiving-telephone is taken 'for use.

The line-circuit from each substation leads to the poles of a central source oi" current a' at the central ofiiee. One line conductor contains the magnet of a relay which controls a secondary lamp-signal, which is the individ ual line-signal. Normal extensions oil the line to the central battery traverse the switchcontacts of a cut-ofi' relay c. The line cond uctors are connected `with the usual springjacks el and d in the multiple switchboard. Special contact-rings oil? these spring-jacks form the multiple terminals of a conductor I, which includes the magnet of eut-oil relay c. Spring-jacks oi' lines are united by means of plugs e and c, which form the terminals of a plug-circuit 2 3, 4 5. Conductors 2 and I of the plug-circuit and conductors 3 and 5 are united, respectively, through the windings of a repeating-coil j', and the points of junction of the pairs oi: conductors so united are connected with the poles of the battery u?, this device being that usual in the relay-switchboard for maintainingl the continuity oil the plug-circuit with respect to telephone-cur-m rents While supplyingI the two substations with current for signaling and exciting' the transnnitting-telephones independently of one another. In each of the conductors 3 and `5 is a supervisory relay, these being` designated f/ and y', respectively, each in control ot a secondary signal /i and L, respectively, of which the former is placed near the plug' e and the latter near the plug e' in the switchboard to indicate the position of the telephone-switch at the station with which the plug is connected. In equipping' lines in such a switchboard with a service-meter the actuating-magnet of the meter is placed in the conductor 1,which contains also the cut-off relay ot' the corresponding line. The service-meter is designed to operate on a current considerably greater than is required by the cut-olf relay. For example, a cut-ofi1 relay as usually constructed is operated when traversed by one-tenth of an ampere. The service-meter may then be operated only when traversed by about threetenths ot' an ampere. The contact-sleeve of the answering-plug e is made the terminal ot' a conductor 6, leading to the pole of battery a opposite to that with which the conductors 1 are connected. rlhis conductor 6 contains two resistance-coils vf and which may have resistances of one hundred ohms and thirty ohms, respectively, the battery a being of twenty-four volts electromotive force. The like contact of plug e forms the terminal of a wire 7, which includes the signal-lamp i, together with a resistance-coil l, which wire leads to the same pole of battery a. This latter circuit is controlled, however, by a switchspring m3 and its normal resting contact, said spring being adapted to be engaged by the armature mz oi' a relay lm, whereby circuit is first completed from the battery a, through spring m3, to said armature, and as the armature is further attracted the circuit through the 'resistance-coil Z by way of the back contact of spring m3 is broken. rThe armature m2 forms the terminal ot' a conductor 9,which includes one winding of the magnet ot' relay fml and is connected with wire 7 between the resistance-coil Z and the lamp i'. The relay is also provided with another armature, m', and a front contact therefor, controlling a shunt 8 about the resistance-coil Vhen the magnet 'm is excited, the branch 9 is completed by the armature 'm2 before the branch containing resistance-coil Z is broken at the bach contact of spring' m3. Aconductor 10 forms a shunt about the lamp la', which is controlled by the switch-contacts of relay g' and which includes also another winding ofthe magnet of relay ym. An additional branch 11 from battery a terminates in the sleeve of contact-plug e', which includes the signal-lamp L, together with a resistance-coil a. This circuit also is provided with a shunt 12 about the lamp L, which is controlled by the relay g. The resistance of vcoils and n and of that winding of relay m which is in conductor 9 may each be one hundred and ten ohms. Likewise the resistance of lamps /L and /L/ when lighted may be approximately one hundred and ten ohms each. The resistance of the winding of relay on. which is in conductor 10 may be about forty ohms.

The resistance of the cut-oli relays o i connection.

ing-magnets of the service-meters about ten ohms each.

Vhen in response to a subscribers call a spring-jack of the calling-line is united with a spring-jack or' the called line through the medium of plugs e and c' and their connecting plug-circuit, the local circuit 1 is closed through the answering-plug and the springjacl; of the calling line and the multiple branches 7 and 11 are connected with the conductor 1 of the called line through the registering contacts of the calling-plug and the spring-jack of the line. The shunt 8 about the resistance-coil e' being open, the current in circuit 6 1 whilesuiiicient to excite the cut-oiil relay c of the calling-line is inadequate to move the armature of the servicemeter. Likewisethecurrentthrough branches 7 and 11 and conductor 1 of the called line is sutlicient to eXcitethe cut-ott' relay of that line to sever the normal battery connections of the line; but by reason of the resistance-coils and or' the high resistance of the signal-lamps it is insutlicient to operate the service-meter of the called line. The current, however, excites or tends to excite the lamps i and L. Simultaneously with the closure or' the local circuit in the answering-plug and the spring-jack of the calling-line, however, acurrentis permitted to iiow in the line from the source rf in the plugcircuit, which excites the supervisory relay and shunts the lamp 7L. Hence this lamp remains dark. Thelamp/z islighted. Then the telephone at the called station is taken for use, the relay g closes the shunt-circuit 1() of lamp 71,', and thus excites the relay m and causes it to bring its levers mf and m2 against their front contacts. The movement of lever m2 breaks the direct path of current from the battery through the lamp la and completes a new circuit through the other winding of magnet m, which thereafter maintains the excitement of the magnet independently of the shunt 1,0 and subject only to the completion of the circuit 7 91 through the local contacts of the calling-plug and the spring-jack ot the called line. The movement of the switch-lever m' against its contact by closing the shunt 8 produces in the circuit 6 1, through the answerin g-plug and the local conductor of the callingline, a current suiicient to operate the servicemeter or' that line, which is thereby caused to register or record the completed and answered connection. The service-meter is then held in its attracted position until the circuit is broken between conductors 7 and 1 of the plug e and the spring-jack of the called line at the termination ot' conversation. Both signallamps /L and L meantime remain subject to the controlling-shunts 12 and 10, respectively, so that they indicate to the operator the condition of the telephone-switches at vthe united stations and permit visual supervision of the The magnet of the service-meter may be thirty ohms each and of the actuatl associated with the called line will not receive TOO suil'ieient current for its actuation, by reason et the high resistance included in circuit therewith.

It is customary for users ol telephones to g'ive a nu Inber ot' orders 'lor connections with wanted lines in quick succession, and the operation of making' the required connections is greatly facilitated by leaving' the answering'- plug' in the spring-jack oi' the calling-line, removing' the callingplug' only from the spring'- jack of the called line upon the flashing' et" the callingsubscribei"s signal-lamp 71, and inserting' said plug'in the spring-jack oil another wanted line. ln all service-meters heretolore provided which depend for their operation on completed connections this practice has been rendered impractieable on account of the failure et' the meter to register all cennections made after `the initial connection. lt will be noted that in the invention herein disclosed the removal of the callingplug 'from the spring-jack et' the called line after theresponse. et' the called subscriber breaks the local circuit which aetuates the service-meter of the calling-line, and thus places it in readiness'to record a second completed connection which attains response at the called station.

While l. have for convenience ot illustration shown `four batteries in the drawing', it will be understood that in practice these may be one and the same source ot current.

It will be noted that by reason ot' the inclusion of the two supervisory signals in multiple branches of the local circuit closed in registering' contacts of the calling-plug' and the spring-jack of the called line the servicemeter of the calling-line, which is the only one to be operated in the course oi' a connection, is included in a local circuit independent of and distinct 'from the signaling-circuits of the system, except in so far as such circuit is influenced by the supervisory relay ot' the called line` l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-w 1. The combination with telephone-lines and spring-jacks thereof, and an answering' and a calling' plug' with their plug-circuit .for uniting' the lines, of a service-meter and a circuit there'l'or, a switch for temporarily closing' the service-meter circuit, a locking' device adapted to maintain the excited condition ot the service-meter, in a local circuit controlled in registering' contacts of the calling-plug' and swing-jack of the called line, the continued operation of the locking' device after its initial response being' dependent upon said reg'- istering contacts.

2. The combination with a calling and a called line, and au answering' and a calling' plug' with their plug-circuit for uniting' said lines, o't a service-meter, a relay in the path of current to the called line, a circuit ilor the service-meter controlled by said relay, a local circuit established in registering' contacts of the calling-plug' and maling-jack et' the called line, and a locking' device 'for said servicemeter inchided in the last-mentioned circuit.

3. ln combination, two telephone lines, plugs and a plug-circuit 't'or uniting' them, a service-meter associated with the calling-line, and a relay associated with the called line in the path et current therein determined in the use o'l: the telephone, a-local circuit oi'l the service-meter closed at one point in registering' contacts oftheanswerizig-plug'and spring'- jacket' the calling-line, said local circuit being' controlled through the agency oi" said relay, and locking' apparatus, `the active condition whereoi.I is controlled by registering' contacts of the calling-plug' and tl1espringjacl of the called line, said locking' apparatus while active being' adapted to prevent the control ol said relay over the service-meter, as described.

4. The combination with a calling' and a called telephone-line, et' a spring-jack ttor each line, an answering' and a calling' plug' and a plug-circuit 'l'or uniting' the lines through the medium oiu said spring-jacks, a source oi" current in a bridge of the plug-circuit, supervisory relays, one in the path of current to each line, supervisory signals controlled by said relays, a cut-eti' relay and a service-meter for each line in a normally open branch from a contact o'lB the spring-jack o'l such line, conductors including' a source of current terminati ng' in corresponding' contacts of said pl ug's, said contacts being' adapted to register with the aforesaid contacts of said spring'- jacks, aud thereby to establish local circuits 'for said cut-oli relays and service-meters, the supervisory signals being' included in multiple branches et the conductor terminating' in the calling-plug', the resistance et both circuits as thus completed preventing the operation o'l' either service-meter, and means controlled by the supervisory relay ol" the called line for controlling' the circuit containing' the servicemeter ol the calling-line to operate the same.

5. ln combination, two telephone-lines each having' a tele phone-switch adapted to close the circuit d uring the use el the telephone, spring'- jaclcs for the lines, a pair of plug's and their plug-circuit for uniting' them, a source of eurrent in the plug'-eircuit,. two supervisory relays associated with the answering' and calling' plugs, respectively, located in the path oi current from the aforesaid source to cachotl the united lines, a service-meter for the calling'- line and a local circuit including' the same, closed in registering' contacts et' the answering-plug' and the anfing-jack of said line, a local circuit established in registering' contacts of the calling-plug' and the spring-jack of the other line, the portion et' said last-mentioned circuit which terminates in the calling-plug' being' divided into multiple branches, two supervisory signals, one associated with each su per- IOO IIO

visory relay, both said signals being' included in the aforesaid multiple branches or' the circuit leading' to the calling-plug, a shunt about each signal controlled by the corresponding supervisory relay, a relay m having a winding included in the shunt about the supervisory signal associated with the calling-plug, switchcontacts of said relay m controlling the circuit of the service-meter, and a locking-winding on said relay m, said relay having switch-contacts adapted when operated to include said lockingwinding in the local circuit leading to the calling-plug; whereby the service-meter is operated through the agency of the switch at the called station upon the response of the called party and is thereupon rendered irresponsive to said switch.

6. The combination with a calling and a called telephone-line, of a service-meter for the calling-line, a spring-jack and a plug for making' connection with the called line, a circuit of the meter closed in registering contacts of the plug and spring-jack of the called line, and independent means for controlling said circuit to operate the meter; whereby the meter may be operated only when the circuit is completed with the called line, as described.

7. rhe combination with a calling and a called line, of a service-meter associated with the calling-line, and a link conductor for uniting the calling with the called line, a circuit of said meter closed through said link conductor, and a conductor of the called line, means actuated in the use of the called line controlling said circuit of the meter to operate the meter; whereby the meter is actuated during each connection with the called line, as described.

8. The combination with a calling-line and the spring-jack thereof, and the called line and a spring-jack therefor, and plugs for uniting' the spring-jacks, of a service-meter associated with the calling-line, and a temporary actuating-circuit thereof extended through the spring-jack and the answering-plug, means for controlling said circuit to actuate the me-` ter, and a locking circuit or device made operative in the first response of said meter, the operative condition of said locking device being dependent on the presence of the callingplug in a jack of the called line; whereby the locking device is made inoperative when con*- nection with the called line is broken, as described.

9. The combination with a telephone-line and a service-meter associated therewith, of an actuating-circuit for the service-meter and means for closing the circuit to operate the meter, a locking-circuit for the meter brought into action in the control of the meter, said locking-circuit being controlled by the plug and spring-jack of the called line; whereby the locking-circuit is rendered inoperative when connection with the called line is broken, as described.

lO. The combination with a calling and a called line, and answering and calling plugs with their plug-circuit for uniting the lines, a supervisory relay for the. called line controlled through the agency of a switch at the substation thereof, a service-meter associated with the calling-line, a local circuit for said servicemeter, a switch operated through the agency of said supervisory relay, controlling the service-meter circuit, a locking-magnet and means controlled thereby for maintaining the service-meter circuit closed independent of the supervisory relay. and a circuit for said locking-magnet closed in registering contacts of the calling-plug and the spring-jack of the called line.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 22d day of January, A. D. 1900.

FRANK R. MCBERTY.

,Vitnesses:

ELLA EDLER, GEORGE P. BARTON. 

